Machine for applying mortar bonding material to building blocks



Nov.- 13, 1951": G.- w. WALKER MACHINE FOR APPLYING MORTAR BONDING MATERIAL T0 BUILDING BLOCKS Filed April 22, 1948* 6 Sheets-,Sheet l JvWQ/wbo/b GEORGEMWALKER Nov. 13, 1951 Gyw. WALKER MACHINE FOR APPLYING MORT AR BONDING` MATERIAL TO BUILDING BLOCKS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1948 QMMWINN..

gmc/wwf GEoxGEWWALKEK Nov. 13, 1951 G. w. WALKER 2,574,675

MACHINE FOR APPL'YING MORTAR BONDING MTERIL TO BUILDING BLOCKS Filed April 22, 194s e `sheets-snm s KMA.

Nov. 13, 1951 G. w. WALKER 2,574,675 MACHINE FOR APPLYING MORTAR BONDING MATERIAL TO BUILDING BLOCKS Filed April 22, 1948 6 Sheet-Sheeb 4 G. W. WALKER MACHINE FOR APPLYING MORTAR BONDING MATERIAL TO BUILDING BLOCKS Nov. 13, 1951 Filed 'April 22, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 7lllII/IIIIIIIllllglllllllllllll? wv www GEoReW-WALKER Nov. 13, 1951 Guw. WALKER 2,574,675

MACHINE FOR APPLYING MoRTAR BoNDING A MATERIAL To BUILDING BLOCKS Filed April A22, 1948` 6 Sheets-Shea?I ,6

Arpmzms ma I l 9 MR 7 sz S 117 PAINT GUN /90t l I PAINT DRUM Suma/Wto@ GEORGEMLWALKER Patented Nov. 13, 1951 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IVIACHINEI FOR APPLYING MORTAR BOND- ING MATERIAL TO BUILDING BLOCKS George W. Walker, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application April 22, 1948, Serial No. 22,628

' 7 Claims. (Cl. 91-45) My invention relates to machines for applying of gearing as hereinafter described to drive the coating materials to building blocks or other conveyor elements continuously, a carrying-in articles by a spraying process. The invention in belt conveyor 2i) (Figs. 3, 8 and 9) by which the the form herein illustrated is particularly adapted blocks are advanced to the machine, a lifting for applying to the Surfaces of building blocks 5 device 2| to receive the blocks from the conveyor made of glass or similar material, a coating pro- 2i) and by which the blocks are lifted into posividing a rough surface such as is required for .tion to be gripped by the pairs of masks 22, a making a good bond with the mortar as the blocks rack 23 (Fig. 3) and pinions 24 for rotating the are built into a wall or other structure. The carriers l5 and blocks carried thereby, a spray coating material comprises a liquid cement or i0 gun 25 (herein referred to as a paint gun) for paint applied by a spray gun to the surfaces to spraying the paint or bonding material to the be coated, a final coating of sand, grit or the like surfaces of the rotating blocks, applicators 26 being then applied as by means of spray guns to for applying a coating of grit, sand or other surthe layer of cementing material. The coated u facing material over the bonding material. A blocks may thereafter be baked in an oven for conveyor 21 carries the coated blocks away from setting and hardening the cementing material. the machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a A more detailed description of the machine machine by which the building blocks or like is as follows: articles are coated in the manner indicated, in As shown in Fig. l, the motor I8 is mounted rapid succession. 2U on the machine frame 30 and is operatively con- Other objects ofthe invention will appear herenected to the several conveyor chains through inafter. trains of gearing including a shaft 32 driven Referring to the accompanying drawings: from the motor through speed reduction gearing Fig. 1 is a part-sectional side elevation of the in a gear box 3|. A sprocket chain 33 driven coating machine, parts being broken away; from the shaft 32 drives a horizontal shaft 34 Fig. 2 is a detail View showing a valve in an (Figs. 1 and 4). The shaft 34 operates through air line, a mask shifting device, and cams for pairs of bevelled gears, each comprising gears 35 operating said parts; and 36, to drive vertical shafts 31 (Figs. 1 and 3) Fig. 3 is a part sectional plan View of the mato each of which is keyed a lower sprocket wheel chine; 38 and an upper sprocket wheel 39 over which Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation at the line the lower and upper chains I1 and I6, respec- 4-4 on Fig. 3, on a somewhat larger scale; tively, are trained and by which said chains are Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation at the line 5--5 continuously driven. The chains I6 and I1 are on Fig. 4; trained over idler sprockets 38 and 39 on shafts Fig. S is an elevational View showing the spray 31 at the intake end of the machine. The congun applying a coating of liquid cement to a veyor '20 is driven by the shaft 34 operating building block; through a sprocket chain 40, shaft 4| and chain Fig. 7 is a detail view of the spray gun as viewed 4U'. in a direction at right angles to that of Fig. 6; The blocks B, when placed on the conveyor 20,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan View of the con- 40 are carried forward between stationary guide rails veyor for delivering the blocks to the .spraying 42 to the lifting device 2| by WhCl the blOCkS machine, and a time relay switch actuated by the are lifted a short distance into position to be blocks; gripped between the masks 22. The lifting device Fig. 9 is an elevational View showing particu- (Fig. 9) comprises a lifting plate or pad 43 carlarly the lifting device for the blocks; 45 ried on a vertical shaft or stem 44 connected Fig. l0 is a wiring and pipe line diagram of the through a link 45 to a lever arm 46 fulcrumed operating and controlling mechanism. to swing up and down about a pivot pin 41. The The machine comprises, in general terms, a arm 46 is swung upwardly by a cam 48 on the series of carriers I5, each including a mask 22, shaft 4|, said cam engaging a follower roll 49 which operate in pairs to grip the blocks B or 5o on the arm 46. A coil spring 50 holds the 1011 49 workpieces which are to be coated, pairs of endon the cam and serves to lower the pad 43. less conveyor elements in the form of chains on Each carrier I5 comprises a horizontal shaft 5| which the carriers I 5 are mounted, each sai-d pair mounted for rotation in a bearing block 52. Verincluding an upper chain It and a lower chain tically disposed arms 53 which may be formed I1, a motor |8 (Fig. 1) operating through a. train 5a integral with the bearing block 52 are connected to the chains i6 and Il by means of angle plates or brackets 54 and bolts 55. Each shaft 5l carries or has formed thereon a square guide block 55 to which is connected a frame 5l carrying the mask 22. The latter is yieldingly mounted for horizontal movement by means of pins 58 attached to the mask and extending through openings in the four corners of the frame l. Coil springs 59 mounted on the pins 58 are held under compression between the frame 5l and the mask and serve to hold the latter against the workpiece B with a yielding pressure.

Each shaft 5i of the carriers i5 on one side of the machine has keyed thereto one of the pinions 24. On the other side of the machine, heads 6I are attached to the shafts 5i. On each carrier a coil spring 52 surrounds the shaft 5l and is held under compression between the head 6l (or pinion 24) and the bearing block 52. After a block B has been gripped between a pair of masks 22 as hereinafter described, the masks are held in gripping engagement with the block during its passage through the machine, by means of a pair of stationary rails 5t extending lengthwise of the machine, the shafts 5E being formed with rounded ends or knobs 64 which bear against the rails 63.

The carry-in belt conveyor is provided with iiights 65 which serve as a positive means for advancing the blocks and for moving them the conveyor onto the pad 43 (Figs. 3 and 9). As the block moves forward onto the pad it is iarrested in a central position thereon by a stop 66 (Fig. 9). The stop is mounted in a fixed position by a stationary bracket 5l' bolted to a housing 68 which encloses the cam 48 and associated mechanism. The block B, as it moves into position on the pad 43, slides beneath a brake shoe 'l0 which serves as a friction brake to slow down the block which moves rapidly of `the conveyor and has considerable inertia. The brake shoe isyieldable upwardly against the downward pressure of coil springs 'il mounted on vertical rods T2 and held under compression between the brake shoe and collars 'i3 xed to said rods. The rods extend upwardly through openings in a plate 14 in which they are slidable up and down. The plate 14 is positioned beneath a cross bar i5 (Fig. 4) extending across the machine and bolted to the machine frame. rlhe cross bar l5 has a frame 'I6 bolted thereto and providing a support for a microswitch 'il mounted at the upper end of the frame. A vertical rod 'i8 mounted for upand-down movement in the frame i6, carries at its lower end a head iS, directly over two of the rods l2. When a block B is moved upward from the full line position, Fig. 9, to the broken line position, the rods 'F2 engage the head i9 and move the rod 'IB upwardly a short distance, thereby actuating the microswitch l? to control the operation of the paint gun as hereinafter described. A nut 8l thr-eaded on the rod 78 limits the downward movement of the rod.

The cam 48 is timed to lift the pad 43 from its lowered position to the dotted line position, Fig. 9, as soon as -a block has been positioned thereon, as above described.

Immediately after the block B has been lifted by the pad 43, it is gripped by a pair of masks 22 which, as they ar-e carried forward by the conveyor chains I6, Il, are moved inwardly .transversely to the chains by means of rock arms i3 which are pivoted at 84 and form extensions of the rails 63. The arms S3 are in position to engage a pair of the carriers `|5 when they are directly opposite the pad 43 and in line with a block thereon. As the carriers are moving into this position, the arms 83 are swung inwardly about their pivots by cams 85 (Fig. 2) fixed to vertical shafts 86. Th-e shafts 86 are geared bv sprocket chains 86e (Fig. 3) to the shafts 3l. The cams 85 operate positively to swing the arms 83 inwardly into substantial alignment with the rails 63, thereby moving the shafts 5l inwardly against the expansive force of the coil springs 62 so that the shields or masks 22 are brought into contact with the block B and the coil springs 59 placed under compression to hold the masks with a yielding pressure against the blocks.

In order to hold the masks against rotation during the greater portion of their travel and squared with the blocks B as the masks are moving to holding position, stationary rails 81 are mounted by means of brackets 81 in position to provide a support for the square guide blocks 55. As the major or vertical sides of the block B, as well as the masks, are square, the masks can fit the blocks in any of the four rotative positions in which the guide blocks 56 can seat on the rail 81.

As a block B, gripped between a pair of masks, moves forward beyond the pad 43, the guide blocks 56 run off the rails 81, leaving the carriers I5 free for rotation about their axes. The Workpieces are positively rotated during their passage through the surface treating zones including the spraying zone, and the applicator zone in which the surface coating of grit is applied, the rotation of the workpieces being effected by means of the stationary rack 23 and pinions 24.

The spray gun 25 is Iadapted for spraying the four narrow sides of the block B with a bonding material such as a liquid cement, paint or the like. The term paint as herein used is intended to include any such bonding material. The gun is mounted over the path of the workpieces a short distance in advance of the lifting pad 43 and applies a layer or coating of the bonding material after the rotation of the workpiece commences. The gun is supplied with the liquid spraying material through a pipe 90 leading from a drum 90a. Valve controlled air under pressure is intermittently supplied through a pipe 9| to the gun 25, as hereinafter described, for opening and closing the nozzle. A pipe 92 supplies air continuously to the gun at a suitable pressure for atomizing the paint.

The gun is carried on a horizontal rock shaft 93 journalled in stationary brackets 94 supported on the machine frame. As a rotating block B advances beneath the spray gun, the nozzle 95 directs a spray 96 (Fig. 6) onto the surfaces to be coated. The rotation of the block B is suficiently rapid to permit all four sides to be completely covered with the coating material during the passage of the block beneath the spray gun. In order to direct the spray centrally of the block as the latter travels therebeneath, the gun is given a rocking movement by which the nozzle is caused to advance with the block as a whole and at substantially the same speed. This rocking movement is effected by means of a rock arm 9? fixed to one end of the rock shaft 93 and extending downwardly therefrom into the path of the arms 53 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. After an arm 53 has passed the rock arm 91, the latter is returned by means of a torsion spring 98 mounted on the shaft 93.

After a block has passed the spray gun 25, and while still rotating, it is carried beneath a series of applicators 26 by which a coating of sand, grit or the like is applied to the block and adhered grav-ity. The blocks` are thus provided withr a roughsurface adapted for bonding the mortar usedwhenthe blocks are built into-a wall orother struc-ture. Thespray material for the applicator-S26 is supplied through pipes lili extending` from :a hopper |92 of asupply tank mountedfover thev sprayingt machine.

Referring to Fig. lOvthe motor i3 isconnected in a three-phasepsystem comprising mainsa, b, `c. rEhe motor may be started by operating a push button switch |05 and stopped by operating the switch i406. Asafety dev-ice is provided forautomatically stopping the motor in the event that two blocks are inadvertently placed in the saine flight and` brought together to the spraying machine by the conveyor 2u. Such safety means includes a switch Iliff inthe path of the blocks B and actuated by each block as it is advanced by the conveyor 20. The switch lill is in circuit with an electromagnet coil Hi8 of a time del .a ydevice |09. As each block B closes the switch |01, the coil |08 is energized and drives its armature to the left with a slow o r retarded movement caused by the dash pot action of the delay device. If two blocks B, B are traveling together, asshown, the switch. lill is held closed, thereby a sufficient length. of. time Ato permit the. solenoid H18: to open a switch H0. in the control circuit of the motor, thereby. stopping. the motor` so that the. operation of. the machine is discontinued un,-

til` the operator removes the block B and again startsthe. motor. In normal operation with a single block B at a time passing over the switch III-1, the latter is released` and. again opened before. the time delay device can operate to stop the motor. The time delay device |99 may represent any approved timer. I have found in practice, an electronic time delay device gives satisfactory operation.

The paint gun 25 is operated periodically under the control of an operating valve H2 (Figs. 2 and 10). The valve includes a plunger i i3 actuated by a cam Hd on the shaft 8S, said cam operating through a pivoted arm H5 to actuate the plunger and open the pressure line 9| leading to the paint gun. When air pressure is thus supplied to the gun, plunger H6 is lifted, thereby lifting the needle valve H1 and opening the pipe line 90. The spray 96 (Fig. 6) of paint supplied through the pipe 90 and atomized by the pressure air supply through the pipe 92, operates as before described, to coat the rotating block which is passing beneath the gun.

In order to prevent such operation of the spray gun in the event that a block B is missing, that is, when there is no block beneath the spray gun, the following safety mechanism is provided: a solenoid valve H8 actuated by a solenoid H9, is provided in the air pressure line leading to the operating valve H2. A relay switch l2@ is connected in circuit with the coil H9 and is actuated by a solenoid IZI in circuit with the switch 11. When the rod 'i8 (Figs. 4 and l0) is moved upward as hereinbefore described, that is, when a block B is lifted into position to be gripped by a pair of masks 22, said rod closes the switch Tl so that the relay switch l2il is closed by its coil i2i. This in turn causes the operation of the solenoid valve H8, moving the valve plunger to the left and thereby connecting an air pressure ervaar-5.

line i2'2 through saidvalve to a pipe IZB-.leading to the oper-atingvalve H2, soV that. when. thelat.- ter -is operated by its cam, pressure airissup.- piled to thepaint gun. In theabsenceof ablock B, that is, the lifting pad d?,v is empty when lifted, the switch ll remains open and theair` pressure line remains. closed at the valve H18, so that the cam actuated operating valve H2 isV ineective for establishing a pressureline *totheA paint gun and the latter remains inoperative. The relay coil 24 may operate through a, :time delay device 52d which delays the closing` of -the switch a short time, sufficient to permit the block B which is to be sprayed, to be brought under the spray gun.

v Modifications may be resorted to within the spiritl and scope of my invention.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for applying a surface coating to rectangular blocks, said apparatus including" a horizontally traveling conveyor, means for driving the conveyor, carriers connectedto the conveyor at intervals therealong, and traveling. therewith, each said carrier including na rotatable shaft extending transversely vof itsfdirectin of t-ravelwith the conveyor and mountedfor rotation about its axis, a rectangular mask Aconnected to the shaft lto rotate therewith andV having a block vengaging surface rota-table with rthe shaft andA in a plane perpendicular toI the axis vof the shaft, automatic means for positioning al saidl block to,Y be engaged by said mask', automatic means operable during the travel of thgm'ask with the conveyor for salue-ring the mask with the block, and means for automatically engaging the mask with the said block lduring the travel of the maskA after it is squared. with the block.

2. Apparatus for applying a surface coa-ting to rectangular blocks, said apparatus including a f horizontally travel-ing conveyor, means for driving the conveyor, carriers connected to 'the conveyor at intervals therealong and traveling therewith, each said carrier including a rotatable shaft extending transversely of its direction of travel with the conveyor and mounted for rotation about its axis, a rectangular mask connected to the shaft to rotate therewith, automatic means for positioning a said block to be engaged by said mask, means for causing the mask to engage the block, a stationary guide rail, a rectanguiar member connected to the shaft and running on said guide rail for holding the mask and block in a predetermined rotative position, a spray gun positioned adjacent to the path of said block and in advance of said guide rail, and means for rotating the mask and said block while passing the spray gun.

3. In a machine for coating blocks, the combination of a conveyor comprising horizontally spaced horizontally traveling endless conveyor elements, means for driving the conveyor, carriers arranged in pairs and connected to and spaced at regular intervals along the conveyor, the carriers of each pair being connected respectively to the two conveyor elements, each carrier comprising a mask having a flat surface parallel to the path of said carriers, and having a circumferential lip surrounding said flat surface and projecting outwardly away from said carrier, automatic means for actuating the carriers and moving the masks into position to grip a block placed in position between the carriers and thereby causing the block to be advanced with the carriers.

4. The combination of a conveyor comprising horizontally traveling conveyor elements, driving means therefor, workpiece carriers connected to travel with the conveyor in a horizontal path, positioning means for moving workpieces in succession into position to be gripped by a pair of said carriers, a spray gun having a stationary mounting over the path of the workpieces and in advance of said positioning means and arranged to direct a spray onto a workpiece when the latter is carried therebeneath, means providing an air pressure line extending to the spray gun, said gun comprising a valve opened by air pressure through said line, an operating valve in said air pressure line, and automatic means for periodically actuating said operating valve in timed relation to the movement of the workpieces by said positioning means.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 Wherein a solenoid valve is connected in said air line in series with said operating valve, and electroresponsive means actuated by the operation of the positioning means for moving a said workpiece, to effect the operation of the solenoid valve and thereby open the air pressure line leading to the operating valve.

6. A machine for applying a surface coating to building blocks comprising gripping devices for gripping the blocks, means for advancing the gripping devices and blocks in a predetermined path, a spray gun having a stationary mounting in position to direct a spray against the blocks during their travel, means for advancing the blocks singly and in succession for delivery to the gripping devices, means for causing the blocks to be gripped by said gripping devices, a motor, driving connections between the motor and the said means for advancing the gripping devices, and automatic means for stopping the motor when more than a single block at a time is advanced for delivery to the gripping devices.

7. A machine for coating blocks, comprising a conveyor including horizontally spaced horizontally traveling endless conveyor elements, means for driving the conveyor, carriers arranged in pairs and connected to and spaced at regular intervals along the conveyor, the carriers of each pair being connected respectively to the two conveyor elements, each carrier comprising a mask, lifting means for lifting the blocks in succession to a position to be gripped by a pair of masks, automatic means for actuating the carriers and causing the masks to grip a block While in its lifted position and thereby causing the block to be advanced with the carriers, a spray gun mounted over the path of said blocks, and control means actuated by each block as the latter is lifted by said lifting means to effect the opening of the gun and hold it open during the passage of the block therebeneath, and permitting the gun to remain closed during the passage of an empty pair of said carriers.

GEORGE W. WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,354,930 Williams Oct. 5, 1920 2,076,451 Fallscheer Apr. 6, 1937 2,197,742 Burk Apr. 16, 1940 2,261,138 Bullerjahn Nov. 4, 1941 '2,270,132 Malloy Jan. 13, 1942 2,330,124 James Sept. 21, 1943 2,330,880 Gladfelter et a1. Oct. 5, 1943 2,373,604 Schweitzer Apr. 10, 1945 2,376,980 Petersen et al May 29, 1945 2,421,515 McNamara et al. June 3, 1947 

